If you are religious now and were non-religious before

[Anonymous]

Why are you religious now, or what changed? What do you believe now?

[Anonymous]

NPR’s Up First podcast for today interviews Dr. Collins, who you may have heard talking about COVID, about his journey from atheism up science.

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510318/up-first

[Anonymous]

Kids grew up and my time became more free. My personal prayer life and my opportunities to do more charitable work increased. I also met some inspirational religious people while volunteering and it has brought me to a much deeper faith.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids grew up and my time became more free. My personal prayer life and my opportunities to do more charitable work increased. I also met some inspirational religious people while volunteering and it has brought me to a much deeper faith.

It sounds like you're more religious now, but that you were also religious before -- is that correct?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NPR’s Up First podcast for today interviews Dr. Collins, who you may have heard talking about COVID, about his journey from atheism up science.

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510318/up-first

It’s a really interesting podcast. Dr. Collins is a geneticist, he runs NIH, and he ran the Human Genome Project. Obama appointed him and then Trump and Biden reappointed him. He’s also an evangelical, but he’s a strong supporter of COVID vaccines and he talks a bit about how some evangelicals became skeptical, and some of the inconsistencies in their thinking he wants to help them understand. He talks about his conversion (spoiler: it involves patients and C.S. Lewis).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPR’s Up First podcast for today interviews Dr. Collins, who you may have heard talking about COVID, about his journey from atheism up science.

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510318/up-first

It’s a really interesting podcast. Dr. Collins is a geneticist, he runs NIH, and he ran the Human Genome Project. Obama appointed him and then Trump and Biden reappointed him. He’s also an evangelical, but he’s a strong supporter of COVID vaccines and he talks a bit about how some evangelicals became skeptical, and some of the inconsistencies in their thinking he wants to help them understand. He talks about his conversion (spoiler: it involves patients and C.S. Lewis).

Spoiler - he was hiking when he saw a waterfall in three sections and thought it represented the trinity. (PS "trinity" is not mentioned in the bible.)

At any rate, he supports vaccines because he is a scientist. There is nothing about evangelical Christianity that is against vaccines, it's just that some stupid evangelicals are against them. Not all evangelicals are stupid, with Dr Collins as an example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPR’s Up First podcast for today interviews Dr. Collins, who you may have heard talking about COVID, about his journey from atheism up science.

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510318/up-first

It’s a really interesting podcast. Dr. Collins is a geneticist, he runs NIH, and he ran the Human Genome Project. Obama appointed him and then Trump and Biden reappointed him. He’s also an evangelical, but he’s a strong supporter of COVID vaccines and he talks a bit about how some evangelicals became skeptical, and some of the inconsistencies in their thinking he wants to help them understand. He talks about his conversion (spoiler: it involves patients and C.S. Lewis).

Spoiler - he was hiking when he saw a waterfall in three sections and thought it represented the trinity. (PS "trinity" is not mentioned in the bible.)

At any rate, he supports vaccines because he is a scientist. There is nothing about evangelical Christianity that is against vaccines, it's just that some stupid evangelicals are against them. Not all evangelicals are stupid, with Dr Collins as an example.

He thinks the processes of evolution (which he believes in) are too amazing to be completely random—and he’s a top geneticist. That’s a little more relevant than what he thinks about doctrinal issues like the trinity, souls or heaven (which are also covered in the podcast).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPR’s Up First podcast for today interviews Dr. Collins, who you may have heard talking about COVID, about his journey from atheism up science.

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510318/up-first

It’s a really interesting podcast. Dr. Collins is a geneticist, he runs NIH, and he ran the Human Genome Project. Obama appointed him and then Trump and Biden reappointed him. He’s also an evangelical, but he’s a strong supporter of COVID vaccines and he talks a bit about how some evangelicals became skeptical, and some of the inconsistencies in their thinking he wants to help them understand. He talks about his conversion (spoiler: it involves patients and C.S. Lewis).

Spoiler - he was hiking when he saw a waterfall in three sections and thought it represented the trinity. (PS "trinity" is not mentioned in the bible.)

At any rate, he supports vaccines because he is a scientist. There is nothing about evangelical Christianity that is against vaccines, it's just that some stupid evangelicals are against them. Not all evangelicals are stupid, with Dr Collins as an example.

He thinks the processes of evolution (which he believes in) are too amazing to be completely random—and he’s a top geneticist. That’s a little more relevant than what he thinks about doctrinal issues like the trinity, souls or heaven (which are also covered in the podcast).

PS. With his scientific credentials, you can’t paint this guy as a flake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPR’s Up First podcast for today interviews Dr. Collins, who you may have heard talking about COVID, about his journey from atheism up science.

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510318/up-first

It’s a really interesting podcast. Dr. Collins is a geneticist, he runs NIH, and he ran the Human Genome Project. Obama appointed him and then Trump and Biden reappointed him. He’s also an evangelical, but he’s a strong supporter of COVID vaccines and he talks a bit about how some evangelicals became skeptical, and some of the inconsistencies in their thinking he wants to help them understand. He talks about his conversion (spoiler: it involves patients and C.S. Lewis).

Spoiler - he was hiking when he saw a waterfall in three sections and thought it represented the trinity. (PS "trinity" is not mentioned in the bible.)

At any rate, he supports vaccines because he is a scientist. There is nothing about evangelical Christianity that is against vaccines, it's just that some stupid evangelicals are against them. Not all evangelicals are stupid, with Dr Collins as an example.

He thinks the processes of evolution (which he believes in) are too amazing to be completely random—and he’s a top geneticist. That’s a little more relevant than what he thinks about doctrinal issues like the trinity, souls or heaven (which are also covered in the podcast).

PS. With his scientific credentials, you can’t paint this guy as a flake.

Not as a flake, just a smart and educated person who, for reasons only he can explain, has chosen to espouse the Argument for Incredulity Fallacy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_incredulity

[Anonymous]

Collins gave several reasons for his faith, including his conviction, as one of the top DNA researchers in the country, that evolution is more than just the result of random changes to DNA.

It’s true that faith is apart from science. But focussing on waterfalls when there’s so much more in the podcast seems a little… petty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Collins gave several reasons for his faith, including his conviction, as one of the top DNA researchers in the country, that evolution is more than just the result of random changes to DNA.

It’s true that faith is apart from science. But focussing on waterfalls when there’s so much more in the podcast seems a little… petty.

Petty, but accurate. It seemed petty to me when I first heard Collins' account, years ago. I didn't listen to the podcast. I already knew about Collins' conversion

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Collins gave several reasons for his faith, including his conviction, as one of the top DNA researchers in the country, that evolution is more than just the result of random changes to DNA.

It’s true that faith is apart from science. But focussing on waterfalls when there’s so much more in the podcast seems a little… petty.

Petty, but accurate. It seemed petty to me when I first heard Collins' account, years ago. I didn't listen to the podcast. I already knew about Collins' conversion

Collins didn’t even talk about waterfalls in this podcast. You can’t talk about Collins based on something he said “years ago.” Maybe his views have changed, but you have no clue.

Seriously, your posts need to be filled away as “irrelevant.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPR’s Up First podcast for today interviews Dr. Collins, who you may have heard talking about COVID, about his journey from atheism up science.

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510318/up-first

It’s a really interesting podcast. Dr. Collins is a geneticist, he runs NIH, and he ran the Human Genome Project. Obama appointed him and then Trump and Biden reappointed him. He’s also an evangelical, but he’s a strong supporter of COVID vaccines and he talks a bit about how some evangelicals became skeptical, and some of the inconsistencies in their thinking he wants to help them understand. He talks about his conversion (spoiler: it involves patients and C.S. Lewis).

Spoiler - he was hiking when he saw a waterfall in three sections and thought it represented the trinity. (PS "trinity" is not mentioned in the bible.)

At any rate, he supports vaccines because he is a scientist. There is nothing about evangelical Christianity that is against vaccines, it's just that some stupid evangelicals are against them. Not all evangelicals are stupid, with Dr Collins as an example.

He thinks the processes of evolution (which he believes in) are too amazing to be completely random—and he’s a top geneticist. That’s a little more relevant than what he thinks about doctrinal issues like the trinity, souls or heaven (which are also covered in the podcast).

PS. With his scientific credentials, you can’t paint this guy as a flake.

PS, no one mentioned the word "flake" until you did. Collins is not a flake, just as many people who believe in God are not flakes. He is a rare scientist who talks about his belief in God.

I hope that you're not suggesting that because he believes in God that people should take the concept of religion more seriously. A lot of scientists - and other respectable and educated non-scientists, do not believe in god - and their non-belief has nothing to do with the likelihood of God existing or of the individuals being especially skilled in their professional pursuits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Collins gave several reasons for his faith, including his conviction, as one of the top DNA researchers in the country, that evolution is more than just the result of random changes to DNA.

It’s true that faith is apart from science. But focussing on waterfalls when there’s so much more in the podcast seems a little… petty.

Petty, but accurate. It seemed petty to me when I first heard Collins' account, years ago. I didn't listen to the podcast. I already knew about Collins' conversion

Collins didn’t even talk about waterfalls in this podcast. You can’t talk about Collins based on something he said “years ago.” Maybe his views have changed, but you have no clue.

Seriously, your posts need to be filled away as “irrelevant.”

Well, then check it out -- he was inspired by a three-part waterfall while hiking. Maybe he didn't mention it because it doesn't go over well.

Bottom Line -- the fact that a famous scientist is a Christian doesn't make Christianity more true.

and you can do whatever you like with my posts, including ignore them, if you find them "irrelevant"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPR’s Up First podcast for today interviews Dr. Collins, who you may have heard talking about COVID, about his journey from atheism up science.

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510318/up-first

It’s a really interesting podcast. Dr. Collins is a geneticist, he runs NIH, and he ran the Human Genome Project. Obama appointed him and then Trump and Biden reappointed him. He’s also an evangelical, but he’s a strong supporter of COVID vaccines and he talks a bit about how some evangelicals became skeptical, and some of the inconsistencies in their thinking he wants to help them understand. He talks about his conversion (spoiler: it involves patients and C.S. Lewis).

Spoiler - he was hiking when he saw a waterfall in three sections and thought it represented the trinity. (PS "trinity" is not mentioned in the bible.)

At any rate, he supports vaccines because he is a scientist. There is nothing about evangelical Christianity that is against vaccines, it's just that some stupid evangelicals are against them. Not all evangelicals are stupid, with Dr Collins as an example.

He thinks the processes of evolution (which he believes in) are too amazing to be completely random—and he’s a top geneticist. That’s a little more relevant than what he thinks about doctrinal issues like the trinity, souls or heaven (which are also covered in the podcast).

PS. With his scientific credentials, you can’t paint this guy as a flake.

PS, no one mentioned the word "flake" until you did. Collins is not a flake, just as many people who believe in God are not flakes. He is a rare scientist who talks about his belief in God.

I hope that you're not suggesting that because he believes in God that people should take the concept of religion more seriously. A lot of scientists - and other respectable and educated non-scientists, do not believe in god - and their non-belief has nothing to do with the likelihood of God existing or of the individuals being especially skilled in their professional pursuits.

Collins gives a scientific reason: that DNA is so miraculous he doesn’t believe the process is completely random. But by all means, keep talking about waterfalls.

Seperately, in the podcast, Collins points out that a third of scientists tell pollsters they believe in God.